A Greater Need
by JantoJones
Summary: Illya makes a sacrifice to help a young mother.


The young mother, with her small baby, was miles from any town or village when and Illya drove past them. Illya, who was driving through the Poland for rendezvous with his partner, recognised her body language as one who was hungry and defeated. He'd seen it many times in his life. Bringing the vehicle to a stop, he shifted into reverse and backed-up until he was alongside.

"Excuse me," he said in Polish. "Would you care to share my food with me?"

"No, thank you," she replied, continuing her trudge and clutching her baby to her.

"I understand that you are afraid. I am a stranger after all," Illya told her, after getting out of the car. "But I know what it is to be starving, and I didn't have a child to take care off."

I was the child, he thought to himself, bitterly.

"Please, I have food to spare," he coaxed. "If you don't eat, how will you have the strength to nourish the child?"

The woman shook her head, though Illya could see she was tempted to accept his offer. A mother's instinct to protect her offspring usually overrode anything else.

"At least let me drive you home, night will be falling in a few hours, and it is getting cold."

"I have no home," she answered.

Illya's heart almost broke at the sound of despair in her voice. It was one he knew all too well. He held out his hand in invitation and this time she accepted him. Opening the passenger door of the car and helped her in and noted, with concern the age of the child. It couldn't have been more than three days old.

True to his word, Illya dug out the sandwich he has stashed in the glove box and handed it to her. She practically snatched it from him before remembering her manners and nodded her thanks.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Kassia."

"I am Illya," he told her. "Where were you going with such a little one?"

Between bites of sandwich and sobs of sorrow, Kassia told her story. She had been disowned by her family, and ostracised from her village after giving birth to a child outside of marriage. The village was all she had ever known, having no other choice, had been walking in the hopes of finding somewhere else who could take her in.

"I am afraid though that will be rejected wherever I go for being unmarried," she said sadly. "My father ordered me to send the child for adoption, but I couldn't give Tomasz away. My heart would shatter."

"I can take you to the town I am going to, where my friend and I will be able to help you," Illya told her, "But I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

Kassia nodded, with a shy smile. She didn't know this total stranger, but there was something about him which told her he was a protector.

An hour later Napoleon raised an eyebrow when Illya arrived with a woman and child in tow. Before he could make some sort of sarcastic comment, he was stopped by the story Illya told him.

"She needs money and a husband," Solo stated. "I have enough cash on me to help her get food and lodging, but I'm not able to provide a husband."

"She won't need a physical husband," Illya replied. "Just the evidence of one. How much time have we got before we meet the contact?"

Napoleon looked at his watch and told his partner that they had two hours to spare.

"Good. Take care of Kassia I'll be back as soon as I can."

After telling the young woman she could trust Napoleon, he disappeared down a nearby street. By the time he returned, fifty minutes later, Solo had all but exhausted his smattering of Polish.

"Where have you been?" he demanded of his partner.

"I went to get this," Illya replied, holding up a gold wedding band. "Kassia can pretend she had a husband, but is now a widow."

He showed the ring to Kassia and explained his idea, causing her to burst into tears. She flung her arms around him and thanked him profusely."

"Things will still be difficult for you for a while, but hopefully the ring will allow you to be accepted, and the money Napoleon is giving you will help give you a start."

"I cannot thank you enough," she said to them both. "But I don't understand why you would do this?"

Napoleon shrugged. "It's our job to help those who need it."

The agents hung around long enough for Kassia to secure a room for herself and her son. In a stroke of good fortune, the owner of the house was looking for a house keeper to help his wife and decided that the young 'widow' would be ideal. It meant that Kassia wouldn't have to pay rent, as the room came with the job, and she could have her child with her at all times.

Driving out of the town, Napoleon realised that there was something missing from Illya's hand. He glanced at the other to make sure it wasn't there either.

"That was your ring you gave her," he said with sudden realisation.

"Yes," Illya replied. "I remembered seeing a market on the way into town, and one of the stalls belonged to a jeweller. My ring would have been too large for her small hand, so I got the stallholder to make in smaller."

"Won't you miss it?"

"Its importance to me was great, but her need was greater," Illya said simply.

Napoleon could tell from his partner's tone that the discussion was over. He wanted to ask why he didn't just buy another ring from the jeweller, but decided to stay quiet. Illya didn't do anything without reason. One day Napoleon might learn the full story of Illya's gold band, but he doubted it would be any time soon.


End file.
